§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the likely running times in minutes of trains from Brussels, Lille, and Paris to the Cheriton portal of the Channel tunnel, using the fastest routes now authorised and the approximate running times likely from thence to Manchester, Leicester, and Doncaster using (i) existing routes and short new links and (ii) a high speed link from Cheriton to London; and what is his estimate of effect of routing in London via White City and/or Stratford, instead of King's Cross.
§ Mr. PortilloBritish Rail predicts that in 1993 the journey times for through passenger services from the Channel tunnel portal at Cheriton will be one hour 50 minutes to both Paris and Brussels, and 50 minutes to Lille. Some 20 minutes will be saved on the journey time to Brussels with the completion of the new line in Belgium now expected in 1995. The journey time from Cheriton to Manchester will be four hours 25 minutes and three hours 55 minutes to Doncaster. No direct passenger service to Leicester will be technically feasible. With the completion of a new line between Cheriton and London King's Cross, BR expect that passenger services to Manchester would take three hours 55 minutes and Doncaster two hours 55 minutes. The difference in journey time if the through services were to be routed via a new line to Stratford would not be great. BR estimates that, depending on the destination, around six to 10 minutes would be added to journeys. BR considers that the main point about King's Cross is that it would be a far more convenient interchange for passengers from the North and Midlands wishing to connect with the high frequency international services starting in London.